Aeronca 65C accident near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, March 23, 2013
On March 23, 2013 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 65C, registered N21301, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to adequately lock the primer before takeoff and the flight instructor's failure to verify that the primer was adequately locked.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2013 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Rapids, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65C · all 65Cs on the register
- Registration
- N21301 · registry record · serial C1058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor hand-propped the engine and the student pilot set the engine controls before the flight. The flight consisted mainly of practicing ground reference maneuvers and slips. The flight instructor reported that they were about 700 feet above the ground when the engine lost all power and the propeller stopped spinning. The flight instructor performed the emergency checklist by memory and located a frozen lake on which to land. The airplane nosed over during the landing roll, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing spars. Photos taken at the accident site showed that the fuel primer control was unlocked and the primer control was at an intermediate position. The flight instructor reported that the student stated he locked the primer control, but only turned the control about 1/8 inch to lock it. The flight instructor stated that the primer control was in its locked position when he checked it before the flight. It could not be determined how the primer control became unlocked. The engine was started and ran normally during the postaccident examination. When the primer control was placed in the position found after the accident and the power was reduced to 1,000 rpm, the engine lost all power. The airplane was not equipped with an electrical system and therefore could not be restarted in flight.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute (descent)
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › (general) › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,405 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,340 as pilot in command; 165 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 19, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 4 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,620 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGPZ Grand Rapids MN at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KGPZ Grand Rapids MN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KGPZ, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.